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She just wished she knew how.
Chapter Forty-Six
Summer overheard Brooke talking to Natalie. She’d also been surprised to see the doors closed, but understood Brooke’s desire to protect Cody from another ambush.
He’d been up early and out the door this morning before anyone else in the house stirred.
She didn’t blame him. Truth be told, she was still too angry to talk to Natalie reasonably and rationally.
But that didn’t stop her from getting up and walking over to Miranda’s kitchen. Miranda stood by the windows facing the ocean, a quiet, thoughtful look on her face.
“Is everything okay?”
Miranda’s lips scrunched. “It’s hard to answer that. What happened last night...” Miranda turned and faced her with a frown. “It shouldn’t have happened. She crossed a line. But I also understand why she did it.”
“I do, too. Love can make people impulsive.”
Miranda gave a sharp, single nod. “She didn’t think it through.”
“I imagine she’s embarrassed and maybe a little scared that Cody won’t forgive her and things will be different now.”
“They are different now.” Miranda caught herself after that sharpretort and took a calming breath. “They’re different because you’re here.”
Summer wasn’t sure she liked this change in direction, or that Miranda seemed to be blaming her for sparking Natalie’s escapade last night. “What exactly are you saying?”
“I’m happy that Nate has this chance to get to know you. I hoped the girls would see you not as a rival, but as someone they could look up to and be friends with because you were already grown and not going to change their lives here. I guess I was naïve in thinking that.”
“You don’t see me as someone they can look up to and be friends with?”
Miranda caught herself again. “Yes. Of course, I do. It’s just, your being here upsets Natalie. Look at what she’s done. If not for you being here, being with Cody right here in this house with two impressionable teenage girls...”
“Cody and I have never flaunted our relationship, nor have we been inappropriate around any of you. In fact, we’ve gone out of our way to be discreet because of how Natalie feels. So much so that Cody was the one who came to me upset that I was holding back being affectionate with him in even the simplest way because I was trying to spare Natalie’s feelings.”
Miranda sighed. “I appreciate that. I do. But Natalie is sensitive. Especially when it comes to Cody.”
“You’ve seen how Natalie feels about him, yet you’ve let it go on.”
Miranda narrowed her gaze. “Maybe it’s time for you to return home and give Natalie some space to work this out with Cody.”
Of course, the mama bear in her wanted to protect her child, Summer thought.
Miranda continued, “They’ve been friends practically their whole lives. I don’t want to see them torn apart over this. And I fear thatwith you here, Natalie will do something more drastic to get his attention.”
The hurtful words made Summer’s heart ache. “So instead of making Natalie see that what she’s doing is wrong, you want me to leave, so she can have Cody all to herself.”
“Yes,” Miranda said. “It will give them a chance to mend this. Natalie is in a vulnerable state right now. She’s hurting.”
What about me?
Miranda wasn’t concerned about her. She wasn’t concerned about how Cody would feel if Summer left. Miranda just wanted her daughter to be happy again.
Summer had done the whole make-everyone-else-happy thing her whole life and it had gotten her nowhere.
“Did it ever occur to you that Cody would leave with me?”
Miranda folded her arms over her chest. “He’d stay if I ask him to.”
That’s how insignificant I am. She asks, and Cody stays. That’s what Miranda thinks.
